'Love Hurts' Review

Back from Sundance. And right back into the blah February releases. Here's my review of Love Hurts.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'Companion,' 'Presence,' 'Perfect Days' and My Sundance Recap

I'm back from Sundance, and so is the podcast. This week, I give some quick thoughts about the festival. Then, we dive into two new movies: Companion and Presence. Finally, we look back at a 2023 film we never talked about, Wim Wenders' Perfect Days. Check out the episode down below.

Sundance 2025: Ranking the Best and Worst of the Festival

There's a temptation among film critics when they don't attend a particular festival to look askance at those who do, especially if those attendees rave about a lot of the movies there. The cynical assumption is that, amidst the prestige and excitement (and privilege) of being at a festival, these critics lose their ability to be discerning. Those feelings are only amplified when glowing reviews come out of Sundance, the theory being that, because of Utah's higher elevation, critics are susceptible to become more forgiving of mediocre movies than they would at sea level.

But a funny thing happened this year in Park City: Just about everyone I saw at the festival was similarly glum about the films they were watching on the ground, grousing that there were no big breakthroughs, no major discoveries, no instant classics. Actually, much of the talk at Sundance wasn't about the movies but, rather, where the festival was headed. And I don't mean philosophically; this was a more literal question, with Sundance moving to Salt Lake City, Boulder or Cincinnati in 2027. The festival's team made it clear that they didn't have any answers about that yet, so don't ask, but nonetheless that uncertainty also contributed to creating a feeling that something was ending, that the glory days were over. Add to that Trump's return to the White House and the fires in Los Angeles, and it was easy to see why many downbeat Park City attendees wrote off this year's edition as a disappointment.

For once, it was actually the people not at the festival who were more positive. Those who stayed home, using the festival's online platform to see certain films, were generally a lot happier with Sundance's 2025 installment. Partly, that was because they only watched movies we on the ground had already determined were good. But I also think not being at Sundance, which didn't feel as packed or lively as in previous years, helped keep one's focus on the films as opposed to the lack of electricity in Park City. 

As I put together my rankings of everything I saw at the festival, it became clear that this actually was a pretty great Sundance, especially in terms of documentaries. My top two films at this year's festival, The Perfect Neighbor and Predators, both of which screened in the U.S. Documentary Competition, feel like films we'll be talking about all year, their thematic connections so self-evident and fascinating that Film Comment ran a panel with their filmmakers (as well as the director of Zodiac Killer Project) to discuss them. Right behind were two features, Sorry, Baby and If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, which took very different approaches to examine an imperiled woman trying to keep her head above water. I count 12 films I would classify as, at least, very good, and that's keeping in mind that there were several more movies I would have liked to have caught but just didn't have the time.

During Sundance, I met a veteran filmmaker who was screening a movie there. "So, what's the vibe of the festival this year?" she asked me. Gloomy, for lots of obvious reasons. But the films compensated if we just let ourselves be open to them.

Below are my rankings, with links leading to individual reviews:

28. Opus
27. By Design
26. Ricky
25. The Ugly Stepsister
24. Rabbit Trap
23. Kiss of the Spider Woman
22. The Legend of Ochi
21. Together
20. The Thing With Feathers
19. The Wedding Banquet
18. Move Ya Body: The Birth of House
17. Folktales
16. Magic Farm
15. Jimpa
14. Omaha
13. Rebuilding
12. Zodiac Killer Project
11. The Alabama Solution
10. Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)
9. 2000 Meters to Andriivka
8. Train Dreams
7. Peter Hujar's Day
6. BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions
5. Twinless
4. Sorry, Baby
3. If I Had Legs I'd Kick You
2. Predators
1. The Perfect Neighbor 

See you all at the next festival. And thanks again to Devika Girish for having me on The Film Comment Podcast to discuss Twinless, By Design and Rabbit Trap.

Sundance 2025: 'Move Ya Body: The Birth of House' Review

Chicago is the birthplace for many things, including house music. For Screen International, I reviewed Move Ya Body, a documentary about the genre's pioneers, who were left behind once the music hit the mainstream. My piece is here.

Sundance 2025: 'The Legend of Ochi' Review

The Legend of Ochi is a conscious throwback to the type of live-action fantasy film that many Gen-X kids grew up on. But does it work? My review is up at Screen International. 

Sundance 2025: 'Folktales' Review

Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady are back with their latest documentary, which looks at a folk high school in Norway that's like a gap year for students who want a more nature-centric education. That means learning to dogsled, among other things. Here's my review of Folktales. 

Monie Love - "Monie in the Middle"

Raise your hand if you never knew Simone Johnson (a.k.a. Monie Love) was British.

Sundance 2025: 'The Alabama Solution' Review

Some documentaries exist to infuriate. Such is the case with The Alabama Solution, which features footage inside an Alabama penitentiary that was shot on smuggled cellphones by the prisoners. The horrendous conditions are simply appalling. My review is up at Screen International.

Sundance 2025: 'Together' Review

This year's Sundance was pretty quiet in terms of sales. But one movie that did get picked up is Together, a body-horror starring Alison Brie and Dave Franco as a struggling couple who ... well, let's just say they're suddenly about to have some quality time together. You can read my review of this Neon pickup over at Screen International.

Sundance 2025: 'Opus' Review

In Opus, Ayo Edebiri plays a frustrated young music journalist who gets a rare opportunity when she's invited to attend an exclusive listening party for the new album from a brilliant but reclusive pop star (John Malkovich). Unfortunately, this horror-thriller is pretty underwhelming, as I explain in my Screen International review.

Sundance 2025: 'BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions' Review

Kahlil Joseph's art installation BLKNWS has been turned into a feature-length, mixed-media film. It's a dazzling experience that's almost too much to absorb in one sitting. My review is here.

'Sing Sing' Review

With the Oscar-nominated Sing Sing available for streaming on Friday, I figured I should point you in the direction of my review, which is up at Screen International.

The Film Comment Podcast: Talking 'Twinless,' 'By Design' and 'Rabbit Trap' at Sundance

It was a treat to be on The Film Comment Podcast alongside my buddy Robert Daniels and host Devika Girish here in Park City. We discussed some of the early highlights (and lowlights) of the festival. (For those interested, Robert and Devika also reviewed Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore, which I haven't seen yet.) 

Enjoy the conversation, which included observations about Dev Patel, Miranda July and David Lynch, down below.

Sundance 2025: 'Sorry, Baby' Review

Eva Victor's remarkable Sorry, Baby, in which they star, is about a twentysomething writer who goes through something terrible. (I won't say what.) How do people cope with trauma? How does it change them on a molecular level? This delicate film offers some answers. I reviewed the movie for Screen International.

Sundance 2025: 'Train Dreams' Review

Train Dreams aspires to be an old-fashioned American epic, telling the story of an everyman living in Idaho at the start of the 20th century. My review of one of Sundance's most-acclaimed films is up at Screen International.

Sundance 2025: 'The Ugly Stepsister' Review

What if the Cinderella story was told from the perspective of one of her ugly stepsister's? For Screen International, I reviewed this intriguing, ultimately disappointing fantasy film. 

Sundance 2025: 'The Perfect Neighbor' Review

Can one documentary encapsulate all that is wrong with America? Probably not, but The Perfect Neighbor comes close. I reviewed this riveting, chilling film here.

Sundance 2025: 'If I Had Legs I’d Kick You' Review

What a stunner If I Had Legs I'd Kick You is. Rose Byrne plays a woman who, for all practical purposes, is a single mom. (Her husband is always gone.) And her daughter is very sickly. Also, she may be losing her grip on reality. My review is here.

Sundance 2025: 'Jimpa' Review

Jimpa is the new film from Good Luck to You, Leo Grande director Sophie Hyde, but this one is a lot more personal. Taking inspiration from her own life, it tells the story of a filmmaker mother (Olivia Colman) with a nonbinary child (Hyde's own child Aud Mason-Hyde) and a gay father (John Lithgow. Not surprisingly, Jimpa is an emotional movie, but I also had some nitpicks. You can read my review here.

Sundance 2025: 'Sly Lives! (aka The Burden Of Black Genius)' Review

Here come the Sundance reviews. First up is Sly Lives!, the new documentary from Questlove about Sly Stone. It's more than just your typical rock doc, which I get into over at Screen International.

Doechii - "Denial Is a River"

Here's the gateway drug to get you into Doechii's Alligator Bites Never Heal.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'Wolf Man,' 'Back in Action' and Previewing Sundance 2025

It's January, which means talking about bad movies and getting ready for Sundance, which will hopefully feature some great movies. Check out this week's episode down below.

Angelo Badalamenti - "Twin Peaks Theme"

What else would I have picked? Rest in peace, David Lynch (and Angelo Badalamenti).

 

'Wolf Man' Review

In 2020, Leigh Whannell made The Invisible Man, a modern update of the horror franchise with a contemporary relevance. I was mixed on that film for some of the same reasons I'm mixed on his latest. For Screen International, I reviewed Wolf Man.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Our Most-Anticipated 2025 Films and Our Oscar Nomination Predictions

A big first episode to start the new year. We spent two hours previewing the films we're excited to see in 2025, and then we offered our guesses for what's going to be nominated in the six major Oscar categories. Dive in.

My Interview With Roy Wood Jr.

It's now been a couple years since Roy Wood Jr. left The Daily Show. And on Friday, he unveils his latest stand-up special, Lonely Flowers, which is all about our dwindling ability to connect with one another. For Cracked, I talked to the comic about isolation, masculinity, fantasy football, being vulnerable on stage, and why he still hasn't watched his set from the 2023 White House Correspondents' Dinner. Hope you enjoy.

'Den of Thieves 2: Pantera' Review

I had never seen Den of Thieves, but I made sure to do so before I saw the sequel. So glad I did: It's really good. As for Pantera, well, that's what my Screen International review is for.

The Police - "Every Bomb You Make"

You're never too old to learn new things, even about one of your favorite songs. 

Last year, the Police released a "Super Deluxe Edition" of their final album, Synchronicity. Included on there was "Every Bomb You Make," an alternate version of the band's finest song, "Every Breath You Take." I assumed it was a demo of some kind -- an early snapshot of the hit it would become. I was wrong: "Every Bomb You Make" was a new version made in 1985 for the influential U.K. series Spitting Image, which is probably best known in the U.S. because Genesis worked with the show (and its caricaturish puppets) for their "Land of Confusion" video. Sting's song was reworked to be a commentary on the world powers' obsession with nuclear weapons. But before the new edition of Synchronicity, apparently the full track had never been released.

The Comedies I'm Curious to See in 2025

Celine Song making a James L. Brooks-style romantic comedy? Adam Sandler returning as Happy Gilmore? Here's my preview of 2025's most intriguing comedies for Cracked.

My Interview With Pedro Almodovar, Writer-Director of 'The Room Next Door'

I loved The Room Next Door, so I wanted to talk to Pedro Almodovar about his bittersweet drama that touches on life, death, global catastrophe and euthanasia. We talked about all that, and also John Huston's The Dead. My interview is live over at the Los Angeles Times.

(Photo by Shayan Asgharnia.)

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': Previewing the 2025 Movie Year

It's a new year, which means it's time to start thinking about the films worth getting excited about in 2025. I was on Press Play alongside Shawn Edwards to discuss everything from Wicked: For Good to Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning to Sentimental Value. Listen below.

The Magnetic Fields - "'70: They're Killing Children Over There"

Lately, I've been listening to 50 Song Memoir, Stephin Merritt's ambitious project in which he wrote a song related to each of the 50 years he'd been alive. (He turns 60 in February.) It was my favorite album of 2017, and plenty of songs still strike a chord. But right now, I'm really feeling "They're Killing Children Over There."

How Did 'Longlegs,' 'Anora' and 'Conclave' Become Arthouse Hits?

This was fun: For the Los Angeles Times, I spoke to the marketing teams behind three of this year's indie/arthouse success stories to find out how they did it. We keep hearing that audiences won't go see specialty films in theaters anymore. Here are three examples that contradict that received wisdom. Learn more about the campaigns behind Longlegs, Anora and Conclave here.

Best of 2024: The Top 10 Movies of the Year

In 2001, I had a shitty year and I couldn't wait for it to be over. On New Year's Eve, I attended a party where I didn't know a ton of people, and I ended up chatting with this woman. During our conversation, I mentioned how happy I was that 2001 was ending, figuring I didn't need to elaborate on why. But she just looked at me, confused. "What was so bad about it?" she asked me.

I have never run into this person since, but I think about her occasionally. How could she have been so obtuse? Did she not remember 9/11? Wasn't she, like the rest of us, still wrestling with the horrible feeling that everything had changed and nothing felt certain anymore? I didn't expect her to also know about the personal things that had happened to me in 2001 that had gone terribly wrong, but still: Why didn't she know that this has been an all-time awful year?

As I've gotten older, I've been more forgiving in my judgment of that person. We don't know what other people are going through but, also, we can't assume that our experience is universal. Truth is, she may have had an amazing 2001, despite 9/11 or anything else happening in the world. Maybe she wasn't depressed, lonely and feeling very much at a crossroads in her life. Maybe she wasn't me.

I've been thinking about that woman a lot in 2024, which for a lot of people was a pretty shitty year. Trump's reelection was the pivotal lowlight, of course, but additionally there were plenty of things going on in the personal lives of those around me that also contributed to a general sense of despair. People lost spouses. People lost parents. People lost their pets. Cancers came back. Loved ones kept getting older. Health issues got serious. Dreams got dashed. Was 2024 the worst year of my life since 2001? Sometimes, it sure felt that way, although it feels odd (and dangerous) to write that. After all, all years are a mix of good and bad, filled with fond memories and crushing bummers, and even the notion of declaring a particular year "the worst" seems incredibly self-indulgent and overdramatic — plus, it's just asking for trouble. (You never know how much worse things could get, and you should be careful not to take your blessings for granted, lest you lose them.) 

But at the same time, I know people who, all told, had a great 2024. They found love. They had a baby. They got an exciting new job. They got out of a bad relationship. They received a prestigious honor. They got to travel. Their baseball team won the World Series. All that good fortune happened in the same year that so much misery occurred — sometimes, to the same person. So was it a good year or a bad year for them? How do you weigh the pros and cons?

A movie that has stayed with me all year was A Real Pain, which I saw at its Sundance premiere. In the film, Jesse Eisenberg's uptight but seemingly put-together family man David is complaining about his cousin, Kieran Culkin's far more volatile Benji. The tour group they're with feel sorry for the hotheaded, emotional Benji — "he's clearly in pain," one of them says — which sparks an pointed response from David. "I know, but isn’t everyone in pain in some way?" he replies. "Well, you seem okay," another tour-group member says. That's when David really loses it.

"I’m not," he responds. "That’s the thing! I have shit going on! I do. But I take a pill for my fuckin' OCD, I jog, I meditate and I go to work and come home at the end of the day. I move forward. Because I know my pain is unexceptional so I don’t feel the need to burden everybody with it."

Most of my life, I've viewed things like David. I have shit going on, but I know other people do, too. So I just keep on keepin' on, convinced my pain is unexceptional. I don't want to burden folks with it. There's value in that — namely, the importance of not becoming so self-absorbed and consumed with your own stuff that you lose sight of what's happening to those around you. But in 2024, I saw other people's pain and wondered about the value of just constantly moving forward — sometimes, that pain has to be acknowledged. That recognition is also a way of growing closer to others by opening yourself up and letting others see your pain. A good pal of mine has a saying that I really love: "If you want to make a friend, ask a favor." The idea is that by being vulnerable and asking for help, you allow others to see you — and for them to feel connected to you in an intimate way. This year, amidst a lot of terrible things, I watched people not be afraid to "burden" others. I know I did the same.

That's why, as bad as 2024 was, I can't say I absolutely hated the last 12 months. There was too much beauty and too much joy to outright dismiss the year in its entirety. Even amidst the pain, there was the reminder of how sadness can generate its own forms of wisdom, humility, humor and compassion. Those things are gifts and you've got to seek them out. Otherwise, life loses all meaning. So, no, I'm not "excited" or "relieved" that 2024 is ending — for starters, with Trump returning to the White House, 2025 could easily be worse. But also, I'm not interested in discarding everything that this year brought. I accept it all. I do wonder, though, how that woman from that 2001 New Year's Eve party is doing. 

* * * * *  

Another reason to be grateful: 2024 was one of the best film years in recent memory, as demonstrated by my stacked Top 10 list...

1. Nickel Boys (RaMell Ross)
2. Janet Planet (Annie Baker) 
3. A Real Pain (Jesse Eisenberg)
4. Challengers (Luca Guadagnino)
5. His Three Daughters (Azazel Jacobs)
6. Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell (Pham Thien An)
7. Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World (Radu Jude)
8. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Mohammad Rasoulof) 
9. Here (Bas Devos)             
10. The Brutalist (Brady Corbet)

I also want to give special mention to the movies that ended up 11-15 on my list, which were Evil Does Not Exist, The Room Next Door, A Different Man, In the Summers and Anora, all of them stellar pictures in their own right. 

For a different take on the year in movies, check out my Screen International list, which only counts films that premiered in 2024. (In other words, five of the movies in my official Top 10 above don't count since they played at festivals last year — and a sixth one, Challengers, was set to premiere in Venice before the actors strike changed those plans.) If you'd like a lengthy discussion about my official Top 10, check out the Grierson & Leitch end-of-the-year podcast.

As I look over my lists, I have vibrant, pleasant memories attached to each of these movies. I remember when I saw them, where I saw them and what was going on in my life at the time. The other day, someone asked me if ever watch movies just for enjoyment. I feel like I always am. 

* * * * * 

As always, I kept busy this year. 2025 will be my 20th anniversary of writing for Screen International. I cannot believe it, and I couldn't be more grateful. Beyond the reviews I write all year as the trade's Senior U.S. Critic, there's also the festivals I cover for the publication, including Sundance, Cannes, and the double shot of Venice and Toronto. Another Sundance is just around the corner. Can't wait.

I was also extremely active over at the Los Angeles Times between reviewing films and profiling actors and directors. Who all did I chat with? Sean Baker (at Gardena Cinema, which was a blast). Juliette Binoche and director Tran Anh Hung for The Taste of Things. Carol freaking Burnett. India Donaldson. Ryusuke Hamaguchi. The stars of His Three Daughters (the night after the election no less). Nicholas Hoult. Jimmy Kimmel (wasn't expecting that interview to go viral). Richard Linklater. Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman for May December. Julianne Nicholson. RaMell Ross. Sebastian Stan and Adam Pearson for A Different Man. Taylor Tomlinson. John Wilson. Also, I was thrilled to do a breakdown of the Oppenheimer screenplay, which reads like a dream by the way, with insights by Kai Bird, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Hoyte van Hoytema, Clive Owen, Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas. Another favorite Times memory from 2024: writing a 25th anniversary piece for The Sixth Sense, which allowed me the opportunity to interview some old colleagues from my brief time in script development, including my former boss Anne Helmstadter, without whom I never would have met my wife Susan.

A very fun thing that happened in 2024 was I started writing for RogerEbert.com. There are too many highlights to mention, but allow me to single out a few gems: my profile of diehard Tenet fans, my interview with Danny Boyle about his friend Cillian Murphy on the eve of his Oscar win, my salute to Emma Stone on the eve of her Oscar win, my very mixed review of this year's Oscars, my interview with Catherine Breillat about Last Summer, my tribute to the late Eleanor Coppola, my long conversation with Keith Law about baseball movies, my interview with Jesse Plemons about Kinds of Kindness (no. 17 on my list of the year's best films), and my interview with Joanna Arnow about The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed (no. 20 on my list). Oh, also: I spent a day hanging out with Justin Baldoni in July before the release of It Ends With Us. (You may have heard some stuff about him recently.)

For my friends at Cracked, I got to talk to some comedians I love, including Anthony Jeselnik and Tig Notaro. I also got deep with John Early and Penn Jillette, who were refreshingly candid about life, work and politics. And I interviewed filmmakers Caroline Suh and Cara Mones, whose documentary Sorry/Not Sorry is about Louis C.K. but, really, is about the whole notion of this thing we call cancel culture.

Over at Rolling Stone, I bid a fond farewell to the great Donald Sutherland. I also looked back at 1994's The Crow, which was emblematic of its time. (You might recall there was a (putrid) remake this year.) I hopped on a Zoom with Joshua Oppenheimer to talk about his wonderful film The End (no. 19 on my list). And I told the world what the Golden Globes got right (and wrong) with their nominations.

I was once again thrilled to be part of the Gotham Awards committee as a member of the panel that selected the acting nominees. It was my honor in January to present LAFCA's Best Director prize to Jonathan Glazer for The Zone of Interest. It's always a kick to be on Press Play With Madeleine Brand, not to mention guesting on the Breakfast All Day podcast to join my friend Christy Lemire to talk movies. I returned to Wilco the Podcast to discuss the band's Hot Sun Cool Shroud EP. And, of course, everyone's favorite weekly film podcast, Grierson & Leitch, had another superb year. Will and I have so much fun doing the show, and I am grateful to all those who listen.

On a personal note, Susan and I celebrated 18 years of marriage. (Her No. 1 movie of the year is also Nickel Boys, followed by A Real Pain, Anora, The Seed of the Sacred Fig and The Room Next Door.) Her insights into films remains as astute as the day I met her back in 1999. (She's also a terrific writer.) But those qualities are not even among the 150 things I most love about her. Put it this way: No year with Susan can remotely be considered a "bad" year.

In 2024, I also did a fair amount of Q&As. It is a job I take seriously and enjoy immensely, and I am always appreciative when an audience member comes up to me afterwards and says, "That was really good — most Q&As are terrible." (I hear this more often than you might imagine.) I consider it a huge compliment. Here's just a small list of the people I've been lucky enough to share a stage with this year: the A Different Man team of Sebastian Stan and Adam Pearson; Ethan Hawke (for Wildcat); Joshua Oppenheimer and Michael Shannon (for The End); Ryusuke Hamaguchi (for Evil Does Not Exist); the Lee team of Kate Winslet, Marion Cotillard and Andrea Riseborough; George MacKay (for The Beast); the Anora team of Sean Baker, Mikey Madison, Samantha Quan and Drew Daniels; the cast and crew of Sing Sing; the cast and crew of The Brutalist; the Nickel Boys team of RaMell Ross, Ethan Herisse and Brandon Wilson; Charlie Kaufman (for I'm Thinking of Ending Things and then for Being John Malkovich alongside Catherine Keener); and Franz Rogowski (on my birthday!) for Passages. There was the night Juliette Binoche and Tran Anh Hung were too sick to attend their Q&A for The Taste of Things, and at the last minute, Tran Nu Yen Khe, the filmmaker's wife and creative partner, stepped in and proved to be an absolute delight. I also have to thank the fine folks at the American Cinematheque, who for the third year of Bleak Week took my suggestion to program Testament — and allowed me to moderate a post-screening Q&A with director Lynne Littman. What an honor. (Later in the year, I also got to present Junebug, which remains wonderful.)

And then one last thing. In November, I was asked to moderate a career conversation with Daniel Craig at the Egyptian. I had been warned that he can be a little surly on stage, but I found him warm, candid and hilarious. It was a pretty special night, helped by the fact that his longtime agent, Sally Long-Innes, was in the audience, telling a great anecdote about first meeting him years ago. I am such a fortunate person, able to write in a variety of formats and also to interview interesting artists in print and also in front of an audience. The 2001 version of me could not have conceived that he would ever be in the position of the 2024 version of me, and I don't take that for granted. I look at that picture at the top of this post, and my overwhelming feeling is gratitude. There are no bad years, no matter how bad you might think they are.

Thank you for reading this. If you enjoy the work I do, that means a lot. Here's to more beauty and pain in 2025.

(Photo by Ziwei Zhao for American Cinematheque.)

James Blake and Lil Yachty - "Save the Savior"

We've earned a mellow ending to a stressful 2024.

What's James Mangold's Best Film?

Now that A Complete Unknown is out, Will and I ranked all of director James Mangold's movies. What's No. 1? Check out our list over at Vulture.

My Interview With Adam Pearson and Sebastian Stan, the Stars of 'A Different Man'

A Different Man was one of 2024's best films, something I've felt since seeing the movie ahead of its Sundance premiere. I talked to its stars Sebastian Stan and Adam Pearson about identity, satire and what it's like to have strangers stare at you. My piece is up at the Los Angeles Times. 

(Photo by Sean Dougherty.)

My Interview With RaMell Ross, Director of 'Nickel Boys'

Over AFI Fest weekend, I sat down with RaMell Ross, whose feature debut Nickel Boys is one of a kind. We talked about empathy, photography and learning how to pivot from tragedy. Loved our talk; my profile is up at the Los Angeles Times. 

(Photo by Ethan Benavidez.)

St. Vincent - "Broken Man"

According to Spotify, this was the song I played the most in 2024. I wouldn't have guessed that, but I'll take it.

What Was the Funniest Moment at the Movies in 2024?

 
I did the math and came up with 34 of the best jokes, characters, memes and moments from films this year. My unassailable comedy rankings are up at Cracked.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: The Best Films of 2024

The episode you've waited for all year is here: Will and I each count down our picks for the best films of 2024. Hope you enjoy.

Red Sea 2024: 'Little Jaffna' Review

In his directorial debut, Lawrence Valin plays a cop who infiltrates a Tamil gang in Paris. But is he getting in too deep? My review of Little Jaffna is live at Screen International.

'Breakfast All Day': 'A Complete Unknown' Doesn't 'Walk Hard' Bob Dylan's Story

Very happy to be back with my buddy Christy Lemire to go deep on A Complete Unknown. One thing I definitely wanted to get into here: I love Walk Hard, but I'm tired of it being used as a de-facto way to critique every music biopic released in its wake. Check out our conversation below.

'The Room Next Door' Review

Pedro Almodovar's best film since The Skin I Live In? For my money, yes. I was quite pleased to get to review The Room Next Door for the Los Angeles Times.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: So Many Movies, So Little Time

It's become an annual tradition I really enjoy: On the podcast right before we record our "Best of the Year" episode, we do a lightning round in which we review a bunch of end-of-the-year films in quick succession. This year, that meant rapid reactions to A Complete Unknown, Nosferatu, Nickel Boys, Babygirl, The Seed of the Sacred Fig and The Order. Check it all out down below.

'Sonic the Hedgehog 3' Review

Is Sonic 3 the best film in the series? Yes. However, I still have major issues with this franchise. My review is up at Screen International.

'Mufasa: The Lion King' Review

The man behind Moonlight has made a Disney "live-action" prequel to one of the studio's biggest hits. Was it worth it? My review of Mufasa is up at Screen International.

'Breakfast All Day': 'Kraven the Hunter' Feels Like the End of Something

Kraven the Hunter isn't good, but is it also emblematic of something bigger in the world of superhero cinema? My buddy Christy Lemire invited me to guest on her podcast to talk about that and other comic-book-related things.

Miranda Lambert (featuring Parker McCollum) - "Santa Fe"

For whatever reason, I've never fully connected with Miranda Lambert's music. But I gave it another try with her latest album, Postcards From Texas. The song that most reaches me is this lilting, sad little ballad.

'Kraven the Hunter' Review

Aaron Taylor-Johnson is Kraven. Who is Kraven? And why did this movie get delayed for so long? I try to answer those questions in my Screen International review.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'Queer,' 'Nightbitch' and 'The End'

Listeners tell us they like it when we disagree. Well, they're in luck because we differ on two of the three movies we talk about on this week's episode. Funny enough, they one we agree on is the one I assumed we wouldn't. Check out the conversation below.

'A Complete Unknown' Review

I loved it. I explain why over at Screen International.

My Reaction to This Year's Golden Globe Nominations

What were the biggest surprises? What were the most egregious snubs? I wrote about all that and more for Rolling Stone.

My Interview With Natasha Lyonne, Elizabeth Olsen and Carrie Coon, the Stars of 'His Three Daughters'

The three actresses who star in His Three Daughters all have busy schedules, so it was tricky to figure out a time for them all to get on a Zoom to speak with me about their terrific film. Finally, we landed on a date: November 6th. Yup, the day after the presidential election. It was evening on that Wednesday when we chatted, and the mood was understandably somber. We talked about Trump and death and laughing at grief. I found the conversation cathartic; I hope they did as well. My piece is up at the Los Angeles Times.

'The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim' Review

My suspicion is that not many folks know that a Lord of the Rings movie is out this Friday. It's an animated action-adventure inspired by a brief passage in one of J.R.R. Tolkien's books. For Screen International, I reviewed The War of the Rohirrim.

My Interview With Joshua Oppenheimer, Director of 'The End'

Nine years ago, I interviewed Joshua Oppenheimer for Rolling Stone to discuss his great documentary The Look of Silence. Recently, I interviewed Joshua Oppenheimer for Rolling Stone again, this time to discuss his great new film, the divisive musical The End. We talked about global warming, doomsday bunkers, Trump, and the right and wrong kinds of hope. You can read my profile here.

Red Sea 2024: 'Yalla Parkour' Review

How do you cope with an occupation? If it's the Palestinian subjects of Yalla Parkour, it's by performing parkour. I reviewed this melancholy documentary for Screen International.

Mulatu Astatke - "Tezeta (Nostalgia)"

Been playing this a lot lately.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'The Brutalist,' 'Maria' and 'September 5'

Ah, thank goodness for good-movie season. We have three award contenders on this week's episode. Which one is my favorite? Listen below.

My Interview With Nicholas Hoult

The man who will be the next Lex Luthor had a pretty great 2024. For the Los Angeles Times, I chatted with the actor about Juror #2, The Order and Nosferatu. We also talked about fatherhood and staying out of the limelight. Check it out here.

(Photo by Marcus Ubungen.)

'Nosferatu' Review

As a filmmaker, Robert Eggers is now four-for-four. For Screen International, I reviewed his latest, Nosferatu.